Community College Enterprise

Research Guidelines

Use the following template to assist in translating the research, study, or dissertation into a format suitable for the journal.

Components of a Research Article

Background

Review of Literature

Methodology

Analysis

Conclusions

Recommendations

References

Article Title

Use a title that clearly reflects the nature of the project. (Consider key terms in a literature search.)

Author Biography

Provide a four to six line author biography

Abstract

Provide an abstract of up to ten lines

Background

The Background Section provides a context for the research study.

Present the specific problem in a statement which tells the reader what you are attempting to fix, improve, or change.

Directly connect the purpose of the study to the problem.

Restrict the study to specific research questions (e.g. Were there differences in student performance between students who were pre-tested with the departmental final versus those who were not?)

Review of Literature

The Review Section demonstrates logical continuity between previous and present work that will help the reader evaluate your findings.

Provide a review of earlier work that includes an appropriate history and recognized the priority of others. Relate the opinions to any conflicting points of view and differences in base assumptions.

Provide information that will formulate appropriate alternatives and recommendations for resolving the problem.

Present the literature that develops a rationale for your research.

Help the reader evaluate the findings in the literature by directly relating them to your research.

Methodology

The Methodology Section tells what you did and how you did it. The reader can then evaluate the validity of your findings, consider the appropriateness of your methods, and reasonably replicate your study.

Identify the population and sample for the study.

Report major demographics.

Describe any apparatus or materials used and their function in the study.

Include information essential to replicate or comprehend the study.

Summarize each step in the research including instructions to the participants.

State the hypothesis. (Show the relationship between the research questions and the problem.)

Present your hypothesis in null form (e.g. there is no significant difference in the learning sytles of first year students as compared to second year students.)

Analysis

In the Analysis Section, state information objectively; do not make inferences.

Provide information on demographics, statistics, tables and figures.

Include all relevant results, including those that are counter to the hypothesis.

For quantitative research articles:

Summarize the data collection and the statistical treatment of them.

When reporting inferential statistics, include information that describes magnitude or value, probability, and degrees of freedom.

Conclusions

The Conclusion should evaluate and interpret the findings in relation to the original hypothesis.

Make a clear statement of the support/nonsupport of the original hypothesis.

Draw inferences from your result and state appropriate limitations.

Identify similarities and differences between your results and those in the literature review to clarify and confirm your conclusions.

Recommendations

The Recommendations show how the results of the study can be used.

Include sources in the reference list for all citations in the manuscript.